The present invention is a device used to automatically spot spray any desired herbicide solution onto individual stands of undesirable plants such as weeds, brush and certain types of undesirable coarse grass.
One of the main concerns of the cattle producing rancher is to provide for maximum grass production. The most efficient and lasting means by which to increase grass production is to elliminate the brush and weed that compete for soil moisture and sunlight.
In certain areas the brush is so thick and tall that it must be removed by such means as a bulldozer or sprayed with herbicide by means of aircraft. But often the rangeland is not completely covered with brush or weed. Instead, the coverage is spotty. Such spotty coverage is presently treated in a number of ways.
Some ranchers treat individual stands of brush with various types of hand held spray guns. The herbicide solution can be applied in economical quantities by hand but this method is so time consuming that it is often limited to only very small areas. Other ranchers use a broadcast spray rig that is pulled behind a farm tractor. This unit has a pump that provides a constant high pressure flow of herbicide through either a single high volume cluster nozzle or through a number of spray nozzles arranged along a boom or header.
But, the broadcast spray rig method sprays 100% of the range surface area even if, for example, only 10% of the surface area is spotted with brush or weed. Because such a large quantity of the costly herbicide solution is wasted by this method, it is generally considered cost-prohibitive for brush control.
Along commercial fruit and nut orchard bottoms weeds and grass must be elliminated because such growth competes for soil moisture. The broadcast spray rig is most often used to apply the herbicide over such areas but again, this method is wasteful over spotty weed and coarse grass coverage.
In addition, pipeline and powerline right-of-ways must be kept clear of undesirable growth so that maintenance crews can travel the right-of-way if trouble occurs and for general access. If such undesirable plant growth is not controlled during early stages, the growth will finally completely engulf the right-of-way such that travel by maintenance vehicles over the area is impossible. Generally, brush along such right-of-ways is sprayed with herbicide by hand gun from a specially rigged truck or mowed with heavy equipment year after year.
The present tractor drawn invention will automatically detect and spot spray liquid herbicide onto the individual stands of undesirable growth in a fast and economical manner.